The present invention relates to an improved method for treatment of swine to reduce odor and water pollution arising from lagoon slurry while at the same time improving live performance and carcass data.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,400 the instant inventor disclosed a novel method and apparatus for inhibiting shipping fever in livestock which further improved digestibility of consumed feed. In more detail, the Persinger invention provided a unique method comprising the steps of producing a supply of ozone and nitrous oxide gas from ambient air; effecting direct contact between the ozone and nitrous oxide gas and a supply of water by means of a bubbler device to produce a prescribed hydrogen peroxide-nitrous oxide content; continuing such contact to a prescribed range and providing the resultant water supply for use as feed water to the livestock to be treated. Accordingly, by consumption of the unique resultant solution, the treated livestock was found to have increased digestibility of feed. Such treatment was further found to inhibit the growth of pathogenic organisms, thus inhibiting cattle disease such as shipping fever.
The virtues of treating water with ozone gas has long been recognized. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,061, issued to Stopka, there is described an apparatus and method for treatment of fluid with ozone. As recognized by the Stopka patent disclosure, the ability of ozone to purify drinking water has been appreciated for some time. According to Bringmann, the rate of destruction of bacteria by ozone is one to two orders of magnitude faster than chlorine. Bringmann, G., 1954 Determination of The Lethal Activity of Chlorine and Ozone on E. Coli, Zhyg. Infektionskar. 139: 130-139.
Among known treatment solutions it is generally recognized that ozone treatment of water will remove several undesirable substances: including pathogens such as fungi, mercpatans and E. coli bacteria, pesticide, etc.
A variety of apparatus is also known for such purposes.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,404 discloses an apparatus for purifying water wherein a batch of water is contained in a tank and fine bubbles of ozone are allowed to rise through the water. Once the batch of water is treated with sufficient amount of ozone, the batch is transferred to a storage tank.
In more detail, one suitable ozone generator means is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,844 issued to James Persinger on Jan. 5, 1982. The apparatus, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,844, comprises an ozone generator cell which acts on ambient air supply. The generator cell produces ozone, oxygen and oxygen ions in the air supply. The generator cell comprises metallic plates and disposed adjacent to one another and separated from each other by a dialectic material and an air gap.
A potential is induced across the adjacent plates and causing ionization of oxygen and nitrogen in the air flowing through the gap which results in the production of ozone gas, nitrous oxide an ionizing air particles.
The popularity of pigs has had its highs and lows throughout history. Various societies revered pigs as godlike animals; others sacrificed them to the gods. At one time they were blamed for carrying leprosy and other diseases. To this day, some religions reject pigs as unclean.
Pigs belong to the order Artiodactyla, which includes many other even-toed animals such as deer, camels, giraffes, antelopes, goats, sheep, and cattle. Most of the animals in this order are ruminants, meaning animals that have complex stomachs and chew their cud. The pig, however, has a single stomach much like our own.
Newborn pigs are about 90% water. As they grow older, about 70% of their body is water. Water is contained in the body cells, the lymph system, joint fluid, blood, and other body fluids. Every day, the pig loses water through its urine, feces, respiration, evaporation from the skin, and sweating.
Water is necessary to dissolve nutrients so that they can be absorbed by the body. Water-soluble wastes are eliminated from the body as urine and sweat. Solid wastes are softened by water in the digestive tract before they are eliminated.
Most of the water that is lost by the body must be replenished, or the pig will become dehydrated. This water is replaced mainly by drinking. Water is also found in all foodstuffs, even grains and pellets that look dry. A pig will drink between about 7 and 20% of its body weight in water each day.
Typically in farm environments, pigs are caged or otherwise confined in pens having a floor of openwork construction to allow animal waste to pass through while maintaining the animals in a dry condition.
Elongated troughs are provided underneath the cages or pens and are positioned for receiving and collecting the animal waste passing through the floors of the cages while facilitating periodic inspection of the animal waste for locating any unhealthy animals and segregating them from the healthy animals. A water supply is provided at a corresponding end of the elongated troughs for periodically directing a stream of wash water along the troughs to flush away the animal waste from below the cages to a slurry pit or lagoon.
Preferably several times a day, valves in the flush water supply pipes are opened and the accumulated waste in the troughs is flushed from the troughs and directed out of the confinement building. A lagoon may be suitably located near the confinement building, and the flush water and waste may be directed from the building and into the lagoon along a suitable channel.
During the time that the pigs are maintained in the cage, the temperature and humidity conditions within the building are controlled and sufficient outside air is introduced into the building to replenish the oxygen supply and to remove odors.
While representing an efficient and effective means for pig rearing, the presence of slurry pits or lagoons represents significant odor and water pollution problems. It has been determined that a significant cause of this odor pollution is ammonia, nitrogen, sulfur, and volatile fatty acid content of the pit slurry waste. Accordingly, those skilled in the art have recognized a significant need to reduce odor and water contaminants in such pit slurry while at the same time improving live performance and carcass data. The present invention fulfills these needs.